CHAPTER XVI.
HONOR TO THE BRAVE.
Paul's mother lived alone, and yet she was not without company; for thebees and the humming-birds buzzing among the flowers, the old clockticking steadily, the cat purring in the sunshine, were her constantfriends through the long summer days. And every morning Azalia came inand read the news. Pleasant the sound of her approaching step! Everwelcome her appearance! Winsome her smile! How beautiful upon her cheekthe deepening bloom of a guileless heart!
"Good news!" she exclaimed one morning, as she entered, with glowingcountenance and sparkling eyes, tossing aside her hat.
"What is it, dear?" Mrs. Parker asked.
Azalia replied by opening a newspaper, and reading that "Captain PaulParker, who had been acting as major, was promoted to be a colonel formeritorious and distinguished services at Vicksburg."
"I am glad he has served his country so faithfully," said Mrs Parker,pleased and gratified, and proud of her son.
"Who knows but that he may be a general yet?" said Azalia, triumphantly."We are going to have a jubilee this afternoon over the victories," sheadded. She could stop no longer, for she was to take part in the jubileewith Daphne, and hastened away to prepare for the occasion.
All New Hope turned out to rejoice over the glorious news. Farmers camewith their wagons loaded with things for the soldiers,--bottles of wine,jars of jellies and preserves, for there were thousands of wounded inthe hospitals. Those who could not contribute such things were ready togive money, for their hearts were overflowing with gratitude. Old mencame, leaning on their staves or supported by their children, with thefires of youth rekindling in their souls. Mothers were there, for theyhad sons in the service. Paul was not the only soldier who had gone fromNew Hope. A score had enlisted. Old folks, young folks, all the peopleof the place were there, in the old church.
The evening train came thundering along the railroad, stopping longenough to leave Paul, who had unexpectedly been ordered to duty inTennessee with General Rosecrans. He was granted a week's leave ofabsence. There was no one at the depot. He wondered at the silence inthe streets. Houses and stores and shops were all closed. He passed upthe hill to his old home; but his mother was not there, and the door wasfast. The cat was lying upon the step, and purred him a welcome. Thebees were humming over the flower-beds, and the swallows twitteredmerrily upon the roof of the house. The remembrance of his boyhood cameback, and he was a child again amid the flowers.
He noticed that the people were around the church, and passed on to seewhat had called them together.
"Why, that is Paul Parker, as true as I am alive!" said Mr. Chrome, ashe approached the church.
The little boys caught it up, and cried, "Paul has come! Paul has come!"and looked wonderingly at his blue uniform, and the eagle on hisshoulders. It was buzzed through the church that he had come. JudgeAdams, who was on the platform, and who was chairman of the meeting,said: "It gives me great pleasure to announce the arrival of ouresteemed fellow-citizen, Colonel Parker, who has so nobly distinguishedhimself in the service of our country."
"Three cheers for Colonel Parker!" shouted Mr. Chrome, and the people,glad to see him, and brimming over with joy for the victories, sprang totheir feet and hurrahed and stamped till the windows rattled. JudgeAdams welcomed him to the platform, and Father Surplice, Colonel Dare,and Esquire Capias rose and shook hands with him. Esquire Capias wasmaking a speech when Paul entered; but he left off suddenly, saying: "Iknow that you want to hear from Colonel Parker, and it will give megreater pleasure to listen to him than to talk myself."
Then there were cries for Paul.
"It is not necessary for me to introduce Colonel Parker on thisoccasion," said Judge Adams. "He is our fellow-citizen; this is hishome. He has honored himself and us. We have been trying to be eloquentover the great victories; but the eloquence of speech is very poor whencompared with the eloquence of action." Then turning to Paul, he said:"What you and your comrades have done, Sir, will be remembered throughall coming time."
"We tried to do our duty, and God gave us the victory," said Paul. Hestood before them taller and stouter than when he went away. He wassunburnt; but his countenance was noble and manly, and marked withself-reliance. He never had made a speech. He did not know what to say.To stand there facing the audience, with his mother, Azalia, Daphne, andall his old friends before him, was very embarrassing. It was worse thanmeeting the Rebels in battle. But why should he be afraid? They were allhis friends, and would respect him if he did the best he could. He wouldnot try to be eloquent. He would simply tell them the story of thebattles; how the soldiers had marched, and toiled, and fought,--not forglory, honor, or fame, but because they were true patriots; how he hadseen them resign themselves to death as calmly as to a night's repose,thinking and talking of friends far away, of father, mother, brothersand sisters, their pleasant homes, and the dear old scenes, yet neveruttering a regret that they had enlisted to save their country.
There were moist eyes when he said that; but when he told them of thecharge at Fort Donelson,--how the troops marched through the snow inlong, unbroken lines, and with a hurrah went up the hill, over fallentrees, and drove the Rebels from their breastworks,--the men swung theirhats, and shouted, and the women waved their handkerchiefs, and cheeredas if crazy with enthusiasm.
Then Azalia and Daphne sung the Star-spangled Banner, the congregationjoining in the chorus. Under the excitement of the moment, Judge Adamscalled for contributions for the soldiers, and the old farmers took outtheir pocket-books. Those who had made up their minds to give fivedollars gave ten, while Mr. Middlekauf, Hans's father, who thought hewould give twenty-five, put fifty into the hat.
When the meeting was over, Paul stepped down from the platform, threwhis arms around his mother's neck and kissed her, and heard her whisper,"God bless you, Paul." Then the people came to shake hands with him.Even Miss Dobb came up, all smiles, shaking her curls, holding out herbony hand, and saying, "I am glad to see you, Colonel Parker. You knowthat I was your old teacher. I really feel proud to know that you haveacquitted yourself so well. I shall claim part of the honor. You mustcome and take tea with me, and tell me all about the battles," shesaid.
"My leave of absence is short. I shall not have time to make manyvisits; but it will give me great pleasure to call upon those who have_always_ been my friends," said Paul, with a look so searching that itbrought the blood into her faded cheeks.
Hearty the welcome from Azalia and Daphne, and from those who had beenhis scholars, who listened with eager interest to the words which fellfrom his lips. Golden the days and blissful those few hours spent withhis mother, sitting by her side in the old kitchen; with Daphne andAzalia, singing the old songs; with Azalia alone, stealing down theshaded walk in the calm moonlight, talking of the changeful past, andlooking into the dreamy future, the whippoorwills and plovers piping tothem from the cloverfields, the crickets chirping them a cheerfulwelcome, and the river saluting them with its ceaseless serenade!
Winning His Way Page 16